At this point, some people will start shouting at me about how the world refused to listen (and cut off aid) when the Palestinians elected a Hamas government in 2006. That is not true. What actually happened is that the international community immediately offered to work with the Hamas government if it accepted the Quartet Principles (the recognition of Israel, the renunciation of violence, adherence to previous diplomatic agreements), which Hamas refused to do; a huge flow of aid (including UK aid) continued to flood in, including through the EU's Temporary International Mechanism.

The creation of a Fatah/Hamas unity government is far from being a done deal. The parties' talks on the formation of such a government are currently breaking down. If (and it is a big if) what is proposed is a government of 'technocrats' whose members might actually hail from neither Fatah nor Hamas, and if the uninspiring President Abbas were to succeed in persuading such a government to sign up to the Quartet Principles, then the creation of such a government might not be entirely bad news, despite the involvement of Hamas. If Hamas goes unreformed, then I have to deeply caveat that last statement, given what a thoroughly obnoxious and threatening organisation it will remain; starry-eyed optimism helps no-one.

UPDATE on Tuesday 21 June 2011: I was also fascinated to read this hair-raising account of the full extent of Palestinian infighting at present, including a report of the killing by one (Palestinian) group of fourteen Palestinian civilians in Syria.

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About Me

Matthew Harris was the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Hendon in the General Election of May 2010. He lives in London and works in public relations, having graduated from Oxford University in 1993. He can be contacted on matthew.harris@hotmail.co.uk.